Hamburg Public Library
Why it's listed
Built in 1903-1904 on North Third Street in Hamburg, this L-shaped, brick library rises one and a half stories with a gabled west front, a square arched portico, and an octagonal turret. Andrew Carnegie gave $10,000 toward its construction after the County School Superintendent appealed to him in 1903, and the School Board provided the site beside the public school. Monroe M. Dreibilbis designed the building and Charles F. Seaman built it. The cornerstone was laid on October 12, 1903, and the library opened on November 5, 1904. Its interior includes an octagonal rotunda with eight freestanding oak columns, a coffered tin plate ceiling, and an inlaid checkerboard floor in the Reference Room. The library is regarded as the first building in Berks County designed specifically for public library use, and the building was long a symbol of the community's commitment to education.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the library is a well preserved example of turn-of-the-century architecture and the first building in Berks County designed and built specifically as a public library. It is described as a high style building whose details borrow from several styles, and its interior is regarded as remarkably well preserved.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 88002369, listed November 3, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 35 N. Third St., Hamburg |
|---|---|
| County | Berks County |
| Listed | November 3, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002369 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1903-1904 |
| Architect / builder | Monroe M. Dreibilbis (architect); Charles F. Seaman (builder) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Romanesque |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In use as a library; the building is described as in good to excellent condition, with aluminum siding covering the upper window sash and turret windows. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 40.55582, -75.98416 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88002369.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5644315
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.